A man has been charged with a religiously-motivated "assault by beating" on British MP George Galloway, police said on Saturday.

Galloway, who recently declared the northern English city he represents an "Israel-free zone," was attacked on a west London street on Friday night.

Police said Neil Masterson, 39, had been charged with "assault by beating which is religiously aggravated" and would appear in court on Monday.

"It is thought that the attack is connected to Mr Galloway's support for the Palestinian cause," his Respect Party said in a statement.

The outspoken Scot, dubbed "Gorgeous George" by the British media, recently made headlines when he declared Bradford to be an Israel-free zone and urged people to reject all Israeli goods, services and tourists.

A Respect spokesman said the incident appeared to be connected with Israel because the attacker had been shouting something about the Holocaust.

Galloway, who once lauded former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, stunned British politics when he won his West Bradford seat in 2012 to become one of only a handful of lawmakers from outside the three major parties. Bradford has a large Muslim minority.

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If the U.S. listened to George before its invasion of Iraq, the world
would be a safer place today and American lives and treasure would not
have been wasted, and the Iraq nation not destroyed. George's sharp
tongue cuts through the calculated lies of U.S., British and Israeli
leaders.

I hope Georgy learns his lesson in humility. His utterances were
insensitive and uncalled for. His beating was also uncalled for but I
hope the judge lets the attacker off with only a slap on the wrist.
Meanwhile, other Galloway types, wherever they may be found, should keep
their anti-Israel sentiments to themselves.

You want the people who support the oppressed and occupied to stay
silent as the aggressors, murder, steal and oppress? You should be
ashamed of yourself. You are uttering words many spewed during ww2 as
crimes were being committed against innocent Jews , disabled, and the
voiceless. Peace can only be achieved if Israel abids by international
law, withdraw from stolen land, period. Don't expect the world to turn a
blind eye to Israel's crimes. Btw, the anti-semitism card along with
pointing out other crimes won't justify the occupation. Never has,
never will. We need more decent human being like George Galloway who
isn't afraid and or intimidated by speaking the truth.

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